Resignation Day - Recap

The episode begins with Elaine waking up in the morning and getting ready for work. She then writes her resignation letter addressed to the president. Douglas on the other hand comes back home and lies down on the bed, beside a sleeping Anne. TJ meanwhile walks out of the hospital with Bud, under the flashbulbs of the media. Later Douglas reads through the letter Elaine has written. Douglas thinks the letter is great. Later Douglas hands Susan a copy of the letter, telling her that she is seeing it even before Garcetti has laid his eyes on it. He also tells her “this is it” he shall no more be working as a “double agent”. “What happened on the plane was a mistake” he adds.

Susan reassures him that she understands, as they aren’t kids. She in the end tells him he is a “good guy” despite everything and leaves. Elaine in the meanwhile hands Garcetti her handwritten resignation, in person. She tells him that she shall miss working with him. Garcetti in turn tells Elaine how the VP was punched in the face by Bud, and how he is covering it up by telling everyone that, he got the bruises from a tennis match. Garcetti then asks Elaine to not quite, and instead stand by him as his VP. “We are better for this country together than we are apart” he adds. He then tells her, he is not accepting her resignation for now, as he wants her to think about his offer. Elaine apparently agrees to give his offer some consideration. Later at home, Elaine doesn’t immediately reveal to Douglas the offer Garcetti has given her.

She instead skirts the topic by using TJ’s arrival as an excuse to not discuss the issue. TJ is then welcomed by the whole family and immediately decides to retire to his room. Later Douglas and TJ have a heart to heart and reminisce about old times. Elaine in the meanwhile confronts Bud about the swing he took at the Vice President of the United States. She adds that although she appreciates the “righteous anger at the defense of our son”, Bud has managed to set off “a shitstorm of historical proportions”. She then reveals to Bud, Garcetti’s offer. Bud is stumped on hearing about it, but eventually tells her that it’s probably a ploy on Garcetti’s part. Georgia meanwhile tells the editor about Elaine’s resignation letter. He then questions Susan about it.

He makes it clear to Susan; the paper is going to run the letter, as they can’t appear to be favoring the Hammonds. Susan later tells Douglas about it. Douglas later reveals to Elaine how Susan and her paper are going to run the story of her resignation. “I am the source”, he then comes out and tells her honestly. “Everything that she knows I gave it to her” he then adds. He justifies himself to a flabbergasted Elaine by telling her that, he had thought she running again would destroy their family and also he didn’t think she had a chance of winning. Hence he did what he did. Elaine in the end asks him to leave, after making it clear to him how disappointed she is in him. Douglas though is outraged by her reaction and tells her how he has dedicated his whole life to serving her, and yet it somehow isn’t good enough for her.

He then storms out. Later Douglas tells Anne about his fight with Elaine, and how probably he doesn’t have a job anymore. He then proposes that, he and Anne elope and get married. She is overjoyed at his proposal and readily agrees. Elaine and Susan in the meanwhile meet at the zoo. Elaine tells Susan, how if her paper runs the story everyone in DC will know that Douglas was her source. It shall consequently destroy any political career he might have, as no one will trust him ever again. She also adds that “none of it is true anymore”. She then agrees to share a vital piece of information with her, but wants her assurance that she can trust her “not as a reporter, trust you as a human being”. Susan gives Elaine her word that she can.

Elaine then reveals to Susan Garcetti’s offer, and Elaine as it turns out has decided to accept his offer. She tells Susan she can’t put her sons through the hell that they would go though because of her campaign and hence feels it’s not the right time to “take on” her boss, as she is a mother first. Later Susan tells her editor how she slept with Douglas who is her source. He is shocked to hear this and is visibly worried about the scandal that would ensue, because of the fact that she slept with her source in order to get information out of him. He therefore decides to not run the letter. At home, Elaine’s secret service guys inform her that, there has been an accident.

It is then shown on a news channel, how Air force One, the President’s plane has crashed in the ocean near France, due to a mechanical malfunction, with the President on board. Later, the VP readies to takes his oath as the president, but is reminded by Elaine he can’t do that, as Garcetti’s body hasn’t been found yet. She in the end manages to talk him out of it. He then tells the media that he shall temporarily assume power instead. Elaine also informs him that the cabinet is unanimous in offering their support to him, in this decision of his. She then tells him “you are now the acting President of the United States”. Susan is meanwhile shocked to find that her editor has been fired, as Georgia told on him to his boss, as he denied running the piece on Elaine.

She did so by revealing that he had inappropriate sexual relations with her; Susan on hearing this offers to own up to the boss and tell him the truth. But Alex stops her from doing so. He then interjects “none of this would have happened if I hadn’t slept with Georgia”. Elaine meanwhile calls Bud and tells him that, apparently Douglas and Anne have eloped. TJ says he thinks he knows where the two might have eloped to. Susan on the other hand tells Elaine how she has “killed the story”, and how Alex too had a part to play in it. Elaine in turn tells Susan, how Douglas and Anne have eloped. Elaine before leaving asks Susan to join her on her visit to France “tomorrow”. Susan readily agrees.

Later while Douglas and Anne are about to get married, his whole family arrives at the scene. Turns out, Douglas is at Hammond’s Farm, just as TJ had suspected. Elaine apologizes to Douglas for everything and the ceremony continues. Later Bud and Elaine have a heart to heart, while watching the married couple dance to a tune played by TJ. Bud during their conversation brings up the mention of Elaine’s presidential campaign, telling her how the country needs a competent leader like her at this hour. Bud then asks her “are you going to do something about this?” “Say you are going to run” he adds. In reply, Elaine simply smiles. The episode ends at this point.